At my father’s 60th birthday party in Seattle, he pointed at me in front of 45 guests and said, “You’re grounded until you apologize to your stepmother.”
By Sunday morning, my phone had forty-three missed calls from Marcus.
Fifteen from Veronica.
Five from Bradley.
I ignored them all from my downtown apartment — the one they never knew I owned.
Then came the voicemail that changed his tone.
“Stephanie,” Marcus said, smaller now. “Mr. Morrison from Meridian called about Monday’s signing. He asked if you’d be there. Why would he ask that?”
Because clause 7.3 required NextGen’s CTO.
And I was NextGen’s CTO.
Monday afternoon, the Four Seasons Emerald Ballroom was packed with two hundred VIP guests, cameras, investors, and a live stream for remote partners.
Marcus arrived with Veronica on his arm and Bradley trailing behind him.
He told everyone the $50 million Meridian deal would make Young Construction a major player.
At the signing table, Meridian’s head lawyer stopped him before the final signature.
“We need to verify clause 7.3 compliance.”
Marcus smiled like it was nothing.
“That’s handled.”
“No,” she said. “We need Stephanie Young, Chief Technology Officer of NextGen Solutions, to sign. Without her signature, this contract is void.”
The ballroom went silent.
Marcus whispered, “Who?”
That was when I walked in wearing my power suit and my level-five NextGen security badge.
I shook James Morrison’s hand first.
Then I turned to my father.
“Hello, Dad. I heard you need my signature.”
May you like
His face went white.
The next part is where the badge says everything he never bothered to ask. If you’re still here with me, leave “CTO” below."
